'Deduct points, fine heavily': Neville slams founding clubs of European Super League

Former England and Manchester United legend, Gary Neville on Monday slammed all founding clubs of the rebel 'European Super League' and he has suggested that the Premier League clubs that are part of this new league should have their points deducted and a fine should be charged from them.

A group of 12 European clubs on Monday confirmed their plans to launch a new European Super League. Among these 12, six belong to Premier League and they are -- Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

"This lot think they can sweep up £300m more each season than the other teams and then wander back on a Saturday and play with that advantage in the PL . Deduct points , fine heavily and embargo transfers. I hope they haven't bought some of the other 14 clubs. #stopthesuperleague," tweeted Neville.

This European Super League has been met with severe backlash ever since reports started doing rounds in the media, despite this fact, the 12 clubs have now confirmed the formation and format for the new competition.

In a joint statement released by the 12 clubs, it was said: "Twelve of Europe's leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its founding clubs. AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as founding clubs. It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable."

"Going forward, the founding clubs look forward to holding discussions with UEFA and FIFA to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for football as a whole. The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model. Further, for a number of years, the founding clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis."

Earlier, UEFA had said that any player and club who participates in the proposed Super League will be banned from UEFA and FIFA football tournaments.

"UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spsh Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spsh and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League," UEFA said in a statement on Sunday.

"We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way. As previously announced by FIFA and the six confederations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams," it added.

( With inputs from ANI )